Leeds Chiefs boosted by Sam Gospel reprieve but Chris Sykes heads back to Billingham Stars

BACK IN THE GAME: Leeds Chiefs' goaltender Sam Gospel has been cleared to play against Peterborough on Sunday. Picture: Steve Brodie.

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As Gospel breathes a sigh of relief, however, one player who won’t be joining him in Cambridgeshire is forward Chris Sykes, who has returned to Billingham Stars after just four games with the Chiefs.

The 27-year-old Sheffield-born winger scored no points during his short time with Leeds, heading back to the club he spent the previous five seasons at, following earlier spells with Sheffield Steeldogs and Sutton Sting.

ABLE DEPUTY: Leeds Chiefs' back-up goaltender, Miles Finney, filled in for Sam Gospel at Bracknell Bees. Picture courtesy of Kevin Slyfield.

As for Gospel, the 25-year-old goaltender had been issued a match penalty in Saturday night’s 8-4 defeat at Milton Keynes Lightning for fighting after appearing to use his blocker on an opponent.

He missed the subsequent 4-3 NIHL National defeat at Bracknell Bees, where he was replaced by Miles Finney.

There was concern among the Chiefs management that further punishment – potentially a four-game ban – would be handed out by English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) disciplinary bosses.

But at a meeting yesterday, Gospel’s match penalty was downgraded to a minor for roughing, based on video evidence submitted by the Chiefs.

It leaves him free to make the trip to Cambridgeshire as his team continues their search for a first-ever win after suffering four straight defeats at the start of the their inaugural campaign – a sequence of results which has left them bottom of the early-season standings.

An EIHA statement said: “In the third period of the NIHL National game between Milton Keynes Lightning and Leeds Chiefs on Saturday September 28, Leeds goalie Sam Gospel received a match penalty for fighting at 55.48.

“On review of the penalty by discipline this has been downgraded to a minor penalty for roughing. The player will face no further action in relation to this incident and is free to play with immediate effect.”

Although Leeds have yet to comment on reports of Syke’s departure – believed to be waiting for the paperwork to be completed – in a Billingham press release on Wednesday night, the player stated: “I’m glad I’m coming home back to Billingham.

“Moving to a new club last season was something I wanted to do, but it’s not worked out and I couldn’t think of a better place to return to, a place I do class as home.”